Curfew re-imposed in Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 31 October 2002, 18:12 GMT]Colombo north and central areas were again placed under curfew to quell
further violence between the Sinhalese and Muslims, which has left one
killed and at least a dozen wounded, police sources said. Muslims who took
part in the funeral of the Muslim person who was killed in Thursday's
clashes, attacked a Buddhist monk Friday. Another Muslim man was wounded when the Police opened fire to disperse the crowd.

The injured has now been warded in Colombo general hospital in a critical
condition, medical sources said.

The police said the curfew which has been imposed in nine police
divisions, Maradana, Maligawatte, Grandpass, Dematagoda, Keselwatte,
Kotahena and Modera in the city of Colombo, will be lifted Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, at a top level security conference presided over by the Prime
Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, Friday evening, at Temple Trees, it was
decided to close all schools in the Colombo central, Colombo north and
Borella areas to avert further clashes.

Minister Tilak Marapone, Interior Minister John Amaratunge, the Inspector
General of Police, Minister Mohamed Maharoof and top officials of the three
armed forces participated in the conference, sources said.

Tension built up for several days between the two communities over the
construction of a building by Muslims at Bodhirajarama Mawatte, Maradana.

The Sinhalese claim that Muslims are constructing a mosque close to the
Buddhist shrine in the area. The Muslims, however, said that they were expanding an
existing Arabic school with the permission of the law courts.

In Thursday's incidents eleven three-wheelers, four lorries, nine motor
bicycles, six bicycles, eight shops and two houses were completely burnt. In
addition, several other business establishments were also damaged.

Muslim religious leaders and Buddhist priests have made appeals to their
respective communities to show restraint and to help the law enforcement
authorities to maintain law and order in bring the tense situation under
control.